Side Story
by Kiki-Niche
Summary: This is a practice chapter. Reno and Ramona hit Yazoo with their truck by accident. Once the young remnant is discovered, can he prove Aerith is his new Mother, and that he is their for good? Need opinions, may become part of Family Ties. R&R!


Elena smiled. "Of course. When I have a day off though, that's the question…"

Ariel, being the outgoing bubble she was, interjected. "I've got Friday off! C`mon Laney! Take it off! ~"

Elena sighed, and looked back to Ramona. "Ugh… Fine…" Ramona and Ariel pumped their fists, gave a simultaneous "Yes!" and slapped hands.

9259

Reno groaned, walking out of the office building and into the large car lot. He immediately spotted his old, run down, white truck. Ramona strode up beside him, smiling. He shivered.

"Don't like the cold, Uncle?" She asked.

"Not particularly." He answered. The winter wind blew, getting under his skin.

Ramona simply sighed happily and wrapped her arms tightly around her smaller body. "I love it." They climbed into the rickety truck, and Reno twisted the keys fast. As if trying to beat a record, he sped to turn on the heat. He shivered and let out a quiet 'Burr'. "You are such a wimp, Reno!" Ramona scoffed, laughing playfully.

"No, you're just a freak who loves to freeze her butt off because her uncle threw her out for disrespect." He smirked, and she laughed with him. Ramona leaned over and hugged him.

"I may be a freak, but you _love_ me!"

"Yea, yea, yea…" He sighed. "Don't remind me. C`mon, let's hurry. I don't wanna keep Ariel and Elena waiting."

"No, you just want to get rid of me." The smiled together, making a truly happy, although small, family. Ramona leaned on the older redhead, tired.

"Me? Never…"

"Yea, ok." She sighed, trying to sleep.

9259

They were halfway home to get Ramona's clothes before they spoke again. Not even five minutes into the car ride and the young teen had fallen asleep. Soon, though, Reno slammed on his breaks, the truck squealing to an uneasy stop. As they truck halted, a flash of silver was thrown to the ground. Reno jumped to the ground from his high position as soon as his door flew open.

"What the hell, yo!" He swore at himself and hadn't even thought of poor Ramona, who had not just been woken up, but thrown to the floor of the auto due to her lack of interest in seatbelts while sleeping.

He ran to the front of the vehicle, hoping that whoever it was wasn't too injured. What he found was not something he was looking forward to. "Yazoo?" He asked, unsure that the man in front of him was who he thought.

"Mm… Ngh…"

Reno didn't want to risk letting a remnant – let alone one thought to be dead – live. However, he also didn't want to risk killing someone because they resembled a dead enemy. It wouldn't have bothered Reno as much as it did – had he not had dreams of this happening. He had usually just strewn the nightmares aside like they meant nothing; because to him – they did. He had sometimes wondered what would happen if he'd met the strikingly handsome remnant some other way. However, he also hated these thoughts. Instead, he tried focusing on thoughts of Elena.

"Ramona… come here." He said, loud enough for her to hear.

"Yea, what? Hey, next time you-" She cut herself off seeing the limp body in front of the car. "What the hell did you do! You friggin killed someone!"

Ignoring the fact that she neglected to realize he had killed before, just… not with Craptimus Prime. "He's not dead, Ramona. Look, he's moving up and down. Breathing."

"Well, you still HIT them!" She said, panicked. "Grah, what do you want? I'm not gonna lift that body or anything…"

"No… just… look at his face… tell me what he looks like." Reno paused, seeing that the man below them was trying to say something. Ramona bent down, helping him sit. She sighed, and smiled when she saw the beauty before her.

"He has blue green eyes… they look familiar. He has a nice face… and, well, he looks feminine." She paused, realizing he was trying to speak. "He's trying to tell me something…"

"Are his eyes like Cloud's?" He asked, hastily, not caring what the remnant would say. He knew that he shouldn't be putting Ramona in this situation – one that might be dangerous, but he knew it couldn't be Yazoo.

"Ye, Yea! That must be why they look familiar. I mean, the color at least… Shh, Reno. Be quiet." She leaned toward the stranger, and his voice was hushed and cracked, though still silky.

"P… Please… Mother… She has sent us…" He coughed, and blood spattered on his hand. Ramona didn't notice at first, but raced to take off her light sweatshirt and wipe away the red with it. "She… she said we need to make up… for our… mistakes…" The man coughed again, this time into her jacket. She didn't mind.

"What do you mean? Who are you? Who's…? Mother?" Ramona asked quietly; but not quiet enough.

"Oh fuck no…" Reno pulled the EMR from his side and lifted it to strike the stranger. He pulled it down, only to strike metal against metal. Ramona stood behind the new man, protecting him. She held in her hand a switchblade given to her from Rodney. "What are you doing? Why are you protecting him?"

By now the stranger had turned around, and faced Reno. He tried standing, but could only suffice with a slump on the hood of his truck. "Because, Reno. He's defenseless. You have no right to kill some man whose organs you ruptured with a truck." Ramona stood now, determined to fight for what she saw right, and Reno saw naïve.

"You don't even know who he is! I do!" He said, trying to convince her of his better judgment. "He's a remnant of Sephiroth, Ramona. You don't know what he's capable of. He nearly killed me."

"No… Why don't you listen?" She cried out, needing to be heard. "Please! If he tries to do anything… I'll kill him myself." She looked up at Reno with pleading eyes.

"What a reassurance." He mocked the threat of her promise, noting that even he couldn't kill him the first time he tried. "You don't know anything about him!"

"Neither do you!" She yelled back, trying to make an argument. "What if you were him!"

"If I were that sorry remnant, I would stay in the Lifestream like a good little larva."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ramona just shook her head and gave Reno a disgusted look. She walked to the stranger again, putting an arm around him. "At least let him explain." She said, her tone no longer loud or excited, but serious and sullen. She looked over the crippled man and put an arm around him, forgetting Reno. "What's your name?"

"Yazoo." He said quietly, voice still smooth silk.

"I see…" She glanced at Reno with a glare and back at the man. "What were trying to say?"

"R-Reno is right… I am dangerous… but…" He paused, coughing. "But, Mother… she sent us here to… to make up for all we did." He looked at the young girl who had saved his life and tried to smile, but it wouldn't come. "We must atone for our sins."

"Uh-huh." Ramona looked to the ground, seeing that she was easily fooled by most people. This could easily be a trap… but… there was something – just something – about this man Yazoo that seemed… trustworthy, yet shady all at once. "Reno… is there any way to prove he isn't lying?"

He shrugged. "For the bruising he gave me, I wouldn't care if it was the truth."

Ramona walked up to Reno and promptly smacked his cold face. It stung, and the girl was no wimp. "Shut. Up." She scowled, and Reno looked away, the shape of a hand forming in red on his cheek.

Yazoo tried to straighten his posture, and stood without leaning, but still slumped. "He is right. There is no reason to trust me. Just let me go. Thank you for trying to help, though."

Ramona stood, shocked. "N-No! It's freezing out here and all you've got on is some tight leather. That can't be warm! We hit you with a damn truck! At least let us help…"

"Ramona, let him go…"

"No! You may be my guardian, but you have no effect on my ideas. I love you, really, I do. But you don't understand why I need to do this…" Ramona looked away, cringing. "Just… please. Give him a chance."

"Ramona. He won't help me…" Yazoo turned his gaze to the gorgeous fire-haired man.

"Shut up, yo. And quit looking at me like that…"

"Like what?" The silk seemed to pour; Yazoo's voice entranced Reno, and he refused to let it show. Ramona was irritated, although she knew she would win this battle. Yazoo seemed to be the kind of person who got what he wanted, even if through manipulation. To her, it seemed he wanted Reno.

"Like… that!" Reno rolled his eyes and groaned. "Ramona, please…. I'll leave him. But can we go? We are going to be late anyway… and you're going to be explaining why. I don't think that Laney will appreciate you saving the man who tortured and nearly killed her…"

Ramona looked horrified, and turned to Yazoo. "I-Is that…"

"That's not true! Kadaj forced us to! He promised it would get Mother back! It wasn't me! Loz cried afterward, after seeing what we'd done. I felt ashamed. Please, you must believe me! It wasn't me!" Yazoo cried with endearing passion. Ramona looked astounded yet confused – as if she believed, and also doubted him.

"Whatever, yo. You still did it."

"No!" Yazoo grabbed his head, and shook it, uncertainly. "Stop!" Ramona grabbed his arm, seeing he would soon lose control.

"Yazoo! Stop this! Quit yelling… what's wrong?" Ramona looked genuinely upset, and concerned. Before he could answer, Yazoo heard a voice in his head. It was calm, and soothing. _Yazoo. Please, calm down. I know it wasn't your fault. You were all under Sephiroth's influence. Please, show these people that you are Yazoo, not Sephiroth. _Aerith seemed to touch a magic cord in Yazoo's mind, instantly consoling him.

Yazoo turned to Ramona, taking his hands off his neck. "I-I'm sorry… I don't know what came over me… I am fine now… but… please. You must believe that I was under Sephiroth's influence. Jenova is not our Mother any longer. Aerith is." He tried again for a smile, and Ramona tried to smile back.

"No worries… I understand. If you were through so much, I can imagine you'd be… troubled by it." Pausing, she attempted to think. "Wasn't Aerith the name of the last Ancient?" She asked Reno.

"Yea. And she's dead. Been dead for years." Reno practically quoted Ramona from their first meeting unintentionally.

"Well, that means she'd be in the Lifestream, right?" Ramona thought she was on to something.

"Yea, but that doesn't mean these remnants have seen her. They can lie just as well as the boss can." The way Reno said 'remnant' bugged both Ramona and Yazoo, for different reasons.

"It was rude of him to lie." Yazoo said, not thinking.

"It was rude to try and kill us for Jenova's friggin head."

"Reno. Yazoo. Shut up." Ramona could already see the fight coming.

"Gr- Whatever." Reno looked away, the handprint on his face prominent, but fading.

"That's what I thought." Sometimes, Reno could swear she was his mother. _This is gonna take some time... _Ramona thought to herself._ But I will convince Reno…_ As if on cue, the remnant nearly gasped, caught by a thought.

"Mother said she'd give us all something special to help us pay…" He smiled, revelations coming. "I healed a small boy this morning by just touching his skin. At first, I thought it was coincidence, but… it would make sense."

"He's gotta be making this up…"

"I am not!" Ramona swore they sounded like five year olds. "Please… do you have any injuries?" He looked to Ramona, knowing Reno wouldn't dare let Yazoo touch him.

"I have a bad cut from two days ago, and I think it's getting infected." Ramona smiled and pulled up her pant leg. "I was training with Norlina, and I fell. It's nothing too bad, but…" Yazoo didn't wait for her to be done. He gently pulled off his thin glove and placed a pale, colorless hand over her cut. She looked down, intrigued, and even more so when she felt a tingling and realized that the open slice of skin was repaired. "Yazoo! That's amazing!" She smiled once he was done, and wrapped him in a hug, to Reno's disgust.

"Whatever… we don't know he didn't have that ability before."

"I would have healed my brother after Sephiroth gave him back." Rolling her eyes, Ramona sighed and put her hands on her hips.

"Will the two of you cut it out. Reno. He's a good guy. Leave it."

"I will not leave it!" He said, sounding too much like he was her father.

"You will or you'll leave me!" She snapped back, not meaning to sound so demanding and childish. "I-I…" She didn't finish coming up with words before Reno spoke again.

"Get in the car." He looked away and sighed, striding to the driver's seat, obviously pissed. He sat, and looked to Ramona who was already in the middle seat. "Both of you." He muttered.

"Really!" Ramona threw her arms tightly around her uncle, hugging snugly.

"Really really." He sighed, motioning Yazoo to get in. He wouldn't have his niece running off in the middle of the night over something so easily resolved. He knew it was his own thick-headedness that got him in this situation, but he ignored the facts.

"Thank you, Reno." Yazoo smiled, and got in the truck.

"Yea, whatever." He rolled his eyes, awaiting the inevitable questions with bad answers later on. He would wait it out in silence, thinking only of just how much Ramona was like him. So thick-headed, argumentative, and strong willed… he grimaced, hoping she'd grow up to be very different than the Turk he was.

9259

Sorry it's been forever. Ugh I wasn't sure if I should post this as a separate story, because it was sorta written like the beginning of a yaoi. I am going to make one based off this, but I'm not sure if it should be a part of the actual series I'm writing. Gr… REVIEW OR PM ME TO LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK. Majority rules with this one, so if you like it or dislike it, LET ME KNOW.

The yaoi part will NOT be part of the actual series I'm writing, because I know full and well that some of my viewers/readers don't like yaoi or yuri. That's fine, and I respect that. Therefore, for those who do I am writing a spin off of it about Reno and Yazoo. I will also be doing one soon about Rufus and Reno, and that will also involve Ramona. ^^

Should Yazoo be in Family Ties?

Or

Should I keep it separate specifically for the Yazoo/Reno yaoi?

Thanks for reading and LET ME KNOW. ^^

Ciao for now!

-Sam


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